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Wine Guide 2003

Pick the right wine and be the toast of the party

By Kitty Crider
American-Statesman Food Editor
November 12, 2003

Before you merrily stock up on cabernets and chardonnays for holiday entertaining, stop and think about your menu. Are you missing a great opportunity? Some foods and wines pair so well they will become the talk of the party. And isn't that what you want?

To heighten your host skills, we asked two wine guys -- Greg Steiner, co-owner of Grape Vine Market, and Michael Vilim, owner of Mirabelle and former sommelier for the Four Seasons Hotel -- to match a half-dozen popular holiday foods.

Here are their picks for your party.

Brie
So rich, so good, but this fatty cheese takes an acidic wine to balance.

Vilim: A Sancerre is crisp and forward with a citrus aromatic that matches the tone of the cheese. So does sauvignon blanc.
Steiner: A white burgundy.

Caviar
Salty.

Vilim: Champagne or a crisp sparkling wine from California.
Steiner: Everybody thinks champagne, but I like Sancerre.

Smoked turkey or ham

Vilim: My favorite match for ham is Gewurztraminer but a pinot gris is great, too. In fact, pinot gris is the best white food wine there is. It shows off the food but has enough weight to stay with the smoke.
Steiner: With saltiness, you need wine with fruit. A dry riesling is the best pairing. Period. But Chianti is also good with turkey.

Beef tenderloin or rib roast

Vilim: Tenderloin needs a softer wine because it has less fat, something like a Rutherford cabernet from California. A rib roast with more marbling goes well with a Chateauneuf or a Bordeaux.
Steiner: A red Burgundy goes better with meat, really bringing out the flavor. And Burgundy with mushrooms, often used with beef, is glorious.

Shrimp

Vilim: The sauce will dictate the wine. For a cocktail sauce, try a Beaujolais. It's a great holiday drink.
Steiner: Best thing is a rose. It is absolutely perfect. I just love it!

Smoked Salmon

Vilim: This is always interesting. My favorite is a cabernet franc from the Loire Valley called Chinon.
Steiner: Go back to a red burgundy, a delicate one, or a rose champagne.

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